In I, Portraitwriter/director/performer Nathan Hill visibly tries to apply everything he’s learned in the past. He tries to shed off the bad, and incorporate what has worked for him previously. The result is a film that shows admirable progress. But in what direction? The answer is exactly what makes Hill’s universe exciting for those who like auteurs who care nothing for rules.
I, Portrait is not exactly a complicated film. Hill just complicates himself because that’s where he likes to make things difficult for him: plot-wise. He likes to tell interesting stories, with dramatic bites that up the premise above the clear inspirations. This time, it’s an erotic thriller and we’ve seen many of those: Fatal Attraction, Disclosureand even, The Hunger. Yes, Hill incorporates a supernatural theme that isn’t quite “in your face” like you would expect from a storyteller who should use all his resources at hand. Hill is more clever in his approach, and delivers a twist when it’s appropriate.
In the film, an artist named Carmen has a special ability. She can paint while blindfolded. Her husband, Julian, is excited and a bit skeptical about this, so Carmen decides to show him that she can do it. But suddenly, someone knocks on their door. Stephanie, one of Carmen’s friends from the past, arrives unannounced and shakes the couple’s relationship. She becomes a bit too intimate with Julian, until Carmen decides to solve the mystery of why the gorgeous young woman has arrived to mess with them.
Yes, the mystery is solved eventually, and it’s very satisfying to know what the heck is going on. Hill delivers on this matter with a final twist that’ll make you go “oh, it’s on” while you consider watching what the writer/director has done in the past with Hill Productions.
Hill’s films are not perfect because they don’t aim at perfection. The director is keen on maintaining the profile he feels comfortable with, and this is why the B-movie style of his productions doesn’t feel random and inevitable. On the contrary, he understands what kind of films he likes to make, and instead of reshooting the same scene over and over again, he edits it to his liking and “Ed-Woods” it. Cut, print and let’s move on.
However, I, Portrait is a good example of Hill making a brave jump at something of higher quality. The cinematography has improved and sound design is way better than before. Performances could be tweaked a bit (Sienna Stass as Stephanie is great), and script-wise there are some decisions to be made. But I, Portrait is a solid jump ahead for the director who likes steamy scenes and is not afraid to include them in times where sex scenes are considered cinematic sin. Again, Hill doesn’t care about anything, and we’re fine with that.
Ever since I started exploring his catalog, I’ve wanted to see what Hill does with horror, the genre that’s most mashable with B-movies. I, Portrait was a good tease, but I know he can do better. Hopefully, I’ll arrive at that checkpoint during my journey through Hill Productions.
Film critic. Lover of all things horror. Member of the OFCS. RT Approved Critic.
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